U.S. Version of U.K. Drama 'Collision' in Development at NBC

Creator Anthony Horowitz ('Foyle’s War') is currently writing the first two episodes of a proposed 10-episode order for the show from Eleventh Hour Films.

U.K. production company Eleventh Hour Films said Tuesday it was developing a U.S. version of its drama Collision for NBC in partnership with TriStar Television.

Creator Anthony Horowitz (Foyle’s War, New Blood) is set to be the showrunner, partnering with Carol Mendelsohn (CSI) alongside Julie Weitz for Carol Mendelsohn Productions.

Horowitz is currently writing the first two episodes of a proposed 10-episode order for NBC, the firm said. If greenlit, the show would go straight to series.

The deal was brokered by executive producer Nicole Finnan at Eleventh Hour Films working with WME. Eleventh Hour founder Jill Green will also serve as an active producer on the planned U.S. series. Suzanne Patmore Gibbs is the executive on behalf of TriStar TV, with Quinn Taylor as NBC’s executive vp on the series.

Announcing the deal, Green said: "Collision was one of the first genuine ‘event dramas’ when it aired on ITV in 2009 – uniquely stripped across five continuous nights, it was watched and talked about by millions of viewers. We are delighted to now be working on a ‘local’ version for NBC, as it was always Anthony's and my dream that the drama should exist on a larger scale and as a longer-length series. This is a country where it is routine to use your car to get everywhere – and never give it a second thought. The drama has universal, relatable characters and fuses together multiple genres."

The drama tells the story of a group of strangers whose lives are forever changed following a major road accident. Beyond the crumpled cars are the invisible dramas, including government cover-ups, smuggling, torn relationships and murder.